Home / Crime and Justice / Cold Case Cracked: 30-Year-Old Murder Solved by DNA
Cold Case Cracked: 30-Year-Old Murder Solved by DNA
15 Feb
Summary
- Killer sentenced 33 years after rape and murder of 19-year-old victim.
- DNA evidence finally linked suspect to the 1993 Indianapolis slaying.
- Suspect pleaded guilty, ending a decades-long wait for justice.
After more than three decades, justice has been served in the brutal 1993 murder of Carmen Van Huss. Dana Shepherd, 53, was sentenced to 45 years in prison on Friday, February 15, 2026, following a plea agreement. Shepherd admitted to the murder charge, which involved the rape and stabbing of the 19-year-old victim in her Indianapolis apartment.
The case remained unsolved for over 30 years until advancements in DNA technology provided the crucial link. Police arrested Shepherd in Columbia, Missouri, in August 2024 and extradited him to Indianapolis. He was scheduled for trial before entering his plea this week, resolving a case that deeply impacted Van Huss's family.
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears acknowledged the long wait for the family, stating, "While no passage of time can ever heal the unimaginable loss Carmen's family has endured, we are grateful to secure a murder conviction more than 30 years after this heinous crime." The Van Huss family expressed gratitude for the resolution, noting that while the plea deal wasn't their first choice, accountability has been achieved.
